Spiced Chickpea Coconut Stew
One of my ABSOLUTE favorites when it’s cooler outside, this stew is adapted from a NY Times recipe I discovered years ago after a friend brought it over for lunch. Immediately I was sold and asked here, “How did you make this?!”
I’ve made this recipe my own by upping the spices and coconut milk. If you don’t tolerate chickpeas, you could easily substitute for chicken. And if you don’t do well with kale or collards (though many people tolerate them far better when cooked versus raw), you could sub spinach or omit entirely.
Note: I use my food processor to chop the garlic, ginger, and turmeric root all together. I first slice the ginger along the length of the “hairs” so it’s not fibrous. I cook chickpeas from dried in my instant pot when I have the time, and use canned when time is short. I usually use my instant pot instead of the stove, beginning on “saute” mode and then switching to “slow cook” once the stew is ready to simmer.
Ingredients
¼ cup olive oil, plus more for serving
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2-4 inch ginger root, finely chopped
2-4 inches turmeric root, chopped or minced (or 2 tsp dried turmeric powder)
1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving (1/2 tsp for less spice)
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (Or 1.5 cups dried and cooked in instant pot or on stove)
2 (15-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 bunch Swiss chard, kale or collard greens, stems removed, torn into bite-size pieces
Salt and black pepper
Optional (for serving): extra virgin olive oil, mint leaves, nutritional yeast
Instructions
Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large pot over medium. Add garlic, onion and ginger. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is translucent and starts to brown a little at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add turmeric, red pepper flakes, and chickpeas, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, so the chickpeas fry a bit in the spices and oil, until they’ve started to break down and get crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove about a cup of chickpeas and set aside for garnish.
Using a wooden spoon or spatula, further crush the remaining chickpeas slightly to release their starchy insides. (This will help thicken the stew.) Add coconut milk and stock, and season with salt and pepper.
Bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits that have formed on the bottom of the pot. Cook and stir til thickened, 30 to 35 minutes. If after 30 to 35 minutes, you want the stew a bit thicker, keep simmering until you've reached your desired consistency. Determining perfect stew thickness is a personal journey!
Add greens and stir, making sure they’re submerged in the liquid. Cook until they wilt and soften, 3 to 7 minutes, depending on what you’re using. (Swiss chard and spinach will wilt and soften much faster than kale or collard greens.) Season again with salt and pepper.
Divide among bowls and top with mint, reserved chickpeas, a sprinkle of red-pepper flakes and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve alongside yogurt and toasted pita if using; dust the yogurt with turmeric if you'd like.
Refrigerate leftovers in an air-tight non-plastic container for 3-4 days.
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